The present invention relates to electrical equipment operating within a communication network, and in particular, to such equipment having upgradable communication functions and methods related thereto.
In the power industry, various equipment such as relays, power meters, and circuit breakers are often implemented within a communication network. In such a network, communication is possible across a communication channel of the network either between the equipment or between a particular piece of equipment and a master processor or control center. For instance, a given piece of equipment may transmit or receive commands over the network. The communication network typically employs a standardized communication protocol to regulate and define acceptable standards for communication across the network. The GE's commnet.RTM. protocol is often utilized in such communication networks. A similar communication protocol used within various industrial and commercial environments is generically known as "Ethernet."
As an example of commands transmitted over a communication channel of a communication network, an electrical relay may receive a command from a controller on the network that instructs the relay to reset or send data. Alternatively, the relay may transmit a command over the network to a controller that an event has occurred. Similarly, a power meter on the network may receive a command from a controller on the network that instructs the power meter to acquire data. In turn, the power meter may transmit a command over the network to a controller that a quantity has exceeded a predetermined limit. As another example, a circuit breaker on the network may receive a command from a controller on the network that instructs the circuit breaker to operate. The circuit breaker may also transmit a command over the network to the controller to indicate that it has opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,704 entitled "System for Sharing Data Between Microprocessor Based Devices" describes one arrangement for communicating between a programmable logic device and a host computer. Equipment on such a communication network often utilize a different internal communication protocol than that utilized on the network. Such equipment may also process information at a different speed than information is transmitted across the network. For example, a relay may employ an internal serial communication protocol such as the RS232 protocol, while the relay may be desired to be connected to a communication network employing the COMMNET.TM. protocol. In order for the relay to communicate with other equipment on the network, i.e. to transmit and receive information over the network, the relay employs a circuit to translate information from its internal communication protocol to that of the network, and vice-versa.
For example, a communication converter is employed, which has the ability to receive commands in the network'COMMNET.RTM. communication protocol, and to convert these commands to internal serial RS232 commands for processing by the relay. Similarly, when the relay issues a RS232-compatible serial command to be transmitted to other equipment or a controller across the network, the communication converter converts the internal serial command into a COMMNET.TM.-compatible command for broadcast across the network. One example of a PC card having multiple communication protocols for telephone applications is found in U.S. Pat. No 5,420,412 entitled "PC-Card Having Several Communication Protocols."
Different network communication protocols continually evolve and are implemented on such communication networks. For example, the COMMNET.TM. protocol used on a given network may be upgraded to a different or more advanced protocol. A wide variety of network protocols are possible, and thus new communication converters may be designed to convert or translate between other network protocols and the internal protocol of the equipment. Further, new network protocols may be developed subsequent to the design and manufacture of a given communication converter, in which case the user must adapt the equipment to the new protocol.
When equipment is to be utilized within a network having a network communication protocol that is incompatible with the internal communication protocol of the equipment, the communication converter must be changed. However, because such communication converter circuits are typically integrated into the equipment, such upgrading is inconvenient and expensive. To install a new communication converter within the equipment may require physically inactivating the equipment, removing the communication converter circuit components and soldering connections for the new components. Alternatively, the entire equipment may have to be replaced with new equipment containing an upgraded communication converter, even though remaining parts of the equipment do not otherwise need to be replaced.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide improved equipment having modular communication converter assemblies for upgrading the equipment to meet various existing and future network communication protocols without soldering or replacement of the equipment.